“Little by little, house by house, we will restore a house at a time,” Pointer said, “But it’s very heartbreaking.”

Pointer says only about 20-percent of the homeowners had insurance. Mayor Slay is seeking a million dollars in relief money to help Lewis place rebuild. Half of the money would come from the city and half from the state.

A vote on the proposal is planned in the city’s board of Estimate and Apportionment Wednesday.